[News]100405
•Philippine Newspaper’s Website(Manila Bulletin): •
-Fans Devastated Over TVXQ’s Possible Disbandment-

Is this the end of TVXQ as a group?
Fans of the top Korean boy band (aka Tohoshinki in Japan) are heartbroken over an announcement by Avex, TVXQ’s agency in Japan, that the group will suspend their activities, raising the possibility that they will disband and will work individually.

In July last year, TVXQ members Micky Yoochun, Xian Junsu and YoungWoong Jaejong sued SM Entertainment, their Korean agency, to void what they call their “slave contracts”.

Since then, TVXQ members have focused on their careers in Japan, releasing hit albums that topped music charts. However, they have not performed as a group in South Korea since the lawsuit was filed.

In October, the Seoul Central District Court issued an initial decision in favor of the three TVXQ members by temporarily suspending their contract with SM Entertainment. The three were allowed to engage in independent activities.

The court has yet to issue a final decision on the matter.

On April 3, Avex announced on its website that Tohoshinki will suspend their activities.


“The activities of ‘Tohoshinki’ will be suspended, but our company will make our best efforts in order to support the activities of the five members, who possess outstanding talents and are promised with a great future, at full strength,” according to the translated Avex announcement posted on the international TVXQ fan forum www.onetvxq.com.

“I am devastated already. Fans have constantly been keeping their faith. I will continue doing so but it just hurts so much to hear them stopping their activities,” a fan with the username smileyyvonne wrote on the forum.

Fan JJ91 added, “Hope this doesn’t mean the end of the group DBSK forever. Also they didn’t mention disbandment yet, so a little bit of hope is still left. Always keep the faith.”

While Avex didn’t say that Tohoshinki will be disbanding, there are telltale signs of this possibility.

Masato Matsuura, president of Avex, tweeted about Tohoshinki’s situation.

“I already did everything I could. In the end, the result is a bitter one. I will do my best to support their decision. If it is what they wish for, I believe that I should do everything I could within my limitation to support all of them who are already flying high. It doesn’t matter what my standpoint is, my feelings are no different from the sadness of every Tohoshinki’s fan,” according to onetvxq-translated Twitter message of Matsuura.

Bigeast, Tohoshinki’s biggest fan club in Japan with 200,000 members, announced that it is discussing whether to continue the fan club.

“The continuation of Bigeast is also under discussion of the Bigeast Office.We are sorry for making a nuisance to all the Bigeasts, but we will inform you [about the future of Bigeast] by the end of April, so please wait for awhile,” the fan club announced.

Bigeast also stopped accepting new members owing to the suspension of Tohoshinki’s activities.

Fans are hoping that TVXQ members will hold a press conference or issue a statement to clarify about their plans.

TVXQ is the most successful Korean artist in Japan. The group’s “Best Selection 2010” album has already sold 511,081 copies since it was released last February 17 and ranked second on Oricon Chart’s Top 10 albums this year in Japan.

Source: Manila Bulletin
Shared by: emerheliena @ DTL
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